Delicious Bologna

Oh, Bologna! What have you done to me?

You had me the minute I stepped up to the counter at that busy neighborhood café and ordered an espresso - it was deep, deep brown with notes of bitter chocolate and had the perfect amount of chestnut colored crema on top.
I ordered a prosciutto panino alongside and once I took a sip and then a bite, I was hooked.
Then I asked for the bill. The total came to €2.30.
I had to look again.
€2.30?

Only €2.30? For a perfect espresso and a prosciutto di Parma sandwich?

How soon can I move?

Then of course, there is the gelato.
Have you ever tasted salted pistachio gelato? Not just pistachio, but salted pistachio?
It will change your life (kind of like Normandy salt butter, of which I'm sure Italy has its own version). But so will the fresh strawberry gelato (in season). The pine nut and mascarpone. The hazelnut. The sour cherry. The dark chocolate. The Sicilian lemon.
Basically, you just want give up every other kind of food and only eat gelato. Forever.

Until you have the pasta.

And the pizza.





I haven't even mentioned the gorgeous seasonal fruit and vegetables yet. Have you ever seen such beautiful tomatoes? Or wild asparagus at such a reasonable price?
And those little peppers pack some serious heat!

Let's not forget the cheese. This is Parmigiano-Reggiano country, after all.
But Italy has much, much more to offer when it comes to formaggio. They claim to produce over 450 varieties - my kind of place!

This list of deliciousness wouldn't be complete without mentioning proscuitto di Parma, cured sausages and mortadella, which originated in Bologna.

I savored all of it, maybe a little too much! My jeans were uncomfortably tight by the end of the trip.

Now that I'm back in France and diving into the seasonal chèvre, the brie - which is so perfect right now - and enjoying a daily baguette, I know that I would long for these delicious French foods if I lived in Italy.
So I'll try to visit as often as possible, leaving plenty of room in my luggage.
This time I brought home 2.5 kilos of Parmigiano-Reggiano, a couple of bottles of Balsamico di Modena and a ridiculous amount of Calabrian chiles.
That should hold us...for a while.

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Tomato and Cream Sauce and a Tribute to Marcella Hazan

"There is no such thing as Italian haute cuisine because there are no high or low roads in Italian cooking. All roads lead to the home, to la cucina di casa - the only one that deserves to be called Italian cooking."  - Marcella Hazan

Big squares of fresh spinach and ricotta ravioli found their way into my shopping basket the other day so when I got home I immediately cracked open Marcella Hazan's Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking to look for the perfect sauce recipe.
Over 650 pages of information, recipes and advice are packed into this wonderful book. It is by far the most trusted Italian cookbook in my entire collection.

The Fundamentals and At Table chapters alone make it an invaluable resource. Need a definition for insaporire? Don't know what Bottarga is? Curious about the different varieties of Radicchio or Ricotta?
Marcella has all the answers.
My copy is about 15 years old. The spine is broken and its pages are splashed and splattered with tomato sauce and red wine. Definitly the signs of a well loved cookbook!

Also, her recipe for Bucatini all'Amatriciana is unparalleled - the most sublime mélange of pancetta, onions, tomatoes and two types of Italian cheese. I make a batch almost every week.

I love Marcella. She has a down to earth style and an unwavering devotion to regional, traditional Italian cuisine. She is truly a classic!

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A Polite Introduction to Jamie Oliver

 

Jamie Oliver.
I remember when his Naked Chef series first hit America. People thought he was so cool, so hip. So very British.

Me, I just couldn't get past his informal, chatty demeanor and those expressions:  Cracking. Lovely jubbly. A glug of olive oil. A knob of butter. A swig of vinegar. Whack it in the oven.  Brill.
Jamie just didn't do it for me.  His cooking style was too imprecise and too unconventional.  I was used to watching the very professional, composed Mario Batali in Molto Mario and the serious Lidia Bastianich in Lidia's Italy. 

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Gnocchi with Caramelized Brussels Sprouts and Pecans

Well, it's official. Autumn is definitely my favorite season.
Twenty years ago I would have said summer and ten years ago I most likely would have voted for spring. (never been smitten with winter)

Now, it is autumn. No doubt.

The temperature is usually perfect - not too hot and not too cool - and the light turns this gorgeous golden color that I find absolutely stunning. When the sun shines through the leaves on the plane trees they shimmer in beautiful shades of pale green and amber, and the colors in the vineyards range from honey to deep orange to bright crimson. It is seriously gorgeous.
My camera gets an intense workout in October and early November!


Another reason to celebrate autumn; Brussels sprouts are back! And we love them.

This is a hearty dish that offers a scrumptious mix of flavors. The gnocchi and bacon are rich, the sprouts are golden and caramelized (I can't resist anything once it has been caramelized!) and the pecans add a nice crunch to the dish.


Gnocchi with Caramelized Brussels Sprouts and Pecans
serves 4 hearty appetites

• 2 ounces thick cut, smoked bacon
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 garlic gloves, smashed a bit but left whole
  
• 2 pounds Brussels sprouts, outer leaves trimmed and larger sprouts cut in half
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup water
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 pound gnocchi
• 1/4 cup reserved pasta water
  
• 1/2 cup toasted pecans, chopped
  
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme

1. In a skillet large enough to hold the Brussels sprouts in one layer, heat the olive oil to medium and saute the bacon with the garlic cloves until the garlic is lightly browned and the bacon is crisp, about 4 minutes. Remove the bacon from the skillet and set aside and discard the garlic cloves.
2. Raise the heat to medium high and add the sprouts to the pan, stirring to coat evenly with the olive oil. Leave the sprouts to cook undisturbed in a single layer for about five minutes, until they develop a deep brown, caramelized color. Stir to allow the other side of the sprouts to brown as well. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
3. Deglaze the pan with 1/4 cup of water and stir well to loosen any caramelized bits on the bottom of the pan. Cover and reduce to a simmer.
4. Meanwhile bring a pot of water to boil for the gnocchi and cook according to package directions.
5. Test the sprouts for doneness by piercing with a sharp knife; they should be al dente, not mushy. Add more water and cook longer if needed. As soon as they are done, scoop the gnocchi out of the water with a slotted spoon and add to the pan with the Brussels sprouts.
   
6. Stir in the bacon, chopped pecans and thyme and turn the heat to high to thicken the sauce. Add a bit of reserved pasta water if necessary.
   
7. Taste for seasonings.
   
8. Serve and enjoy!

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Photo du Jour - Over the Canal du Midi

Blue skies and hot, sunny days. Summer in the Languedoc is here with a vengeance!

Too hot to turn on the oven except for the early morning. Summer recipes are keeping us cool.

melon and serrano ham
panzanella
cold tomato soup with basil
pasta with cherry tomato, garlic, arugula and feta cheese
fresh peach tart
cherry frozen yogurt

A glass or two of icy cold rosé doesn't hurt either. Pin It

Sunday Reading

These are some adorable and very photogenic chicks!

Una ricetta buona et facile.

Some curiosities from Provence.

Gearing up for zucchini season. This is one of my favorite ways to use them up.

Beautiful inspiration.

The fortified medieval town of Sighişoara was one of the highlights of our trip to Transylvania.

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Conchiglie al Salmone e Piselli

Lately, if you were to stop by our house for a glass of wine and a bite to eat, you might wonder where you are. Is this still France? Because the food coming out of my little kitchen certainly doesn't look like French food...

It isn't.
For the last month or so I've been craving all things Italian.

Except for French cheese of course. But that goes without saying.


There has been a crazy amount of frittata, pasta, pizza and risotto cooking going on. Why these four Italian dishes in particular?

• we don't eat a lot of meat and they're delicious when made with fresh vegetables
• they're economical (unless you want to whip up something like this)
• they're easy to make
• they're perfect for using up little leftover bits of this and that

The most recent pasta concoction used up three quarters of a bag of conchiglie pasta, a handful of frozen baby peas, half a package of smoked salmon and a slug of cream.
Oh, and some fresh chèvre. Just a little reminder that we still live in la belle France.


Conchiglie al Salmone e Piselli (e formaggi caprini)
serves 4

• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3 shallots, finely chopped
• 1 cup frozen petit pois, defrosted
• 4 ounces thinly sliced smoked salmon, chopped into 1/4 - inch pieces
• 1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon whipping cream
• 4 ounces fresh chèvre
• 1 pound conchiglie (or farfalle)
• freshly ground black pepper

1. Heat the butter and olive oil together in a frying pan over medium heat and sautée the shallots until golden.
2. Add the peas and cook for 3 minutes.
3. Add the smoked salmon, season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, and cook for 2 minutes.
4. Turn down the heat to low, stir in the cream and the chèvre, and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, cook the pasta in plenty of boiling, salted water until al dente, according to package directions.
   
6. Drain, reserving some of the pasta cooking water, and add the pasta to the sauce.
7. Stir well over low heat until the sauce has thickened slightly and the pasta is coated. Add a bit of the reserved water if necessary to create a rich, creamy sauce.
   
8. Serve immediately with more freshly ground pepper if necessary.

Related Posts:
A Gutsy Cherry Tomato, Garlic, Arugula and Feta Cheese Pasta Sauce Recipe
Still Eating as Much Asparagus as Possible...
Calzone

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A Gutsy Cherry Tomato, Garlic, Arugula and Feta Cheese Pasta Sauce Recipe

We're practically drowning in tomatoes.

There are currently two big bowls that need eating/canning/whatever. Two big bowls. Which isn't bad actually, the other day there were four.

One big bowl with ripe red, giant black and zebra striped green tomatoes and a smaller bowl with normal sized cherry, little yellow teardrop and tiny cherry tomatoes.



Trying to incorporate them into almost every meal without inciting boredom has been the challenge.
I never want to hear the words, "not tomatoes, again?" This winter we'll be longing for the taste of sweet, vine ripened tomatoes, so we must gather ye rosebuds...

Good ol' reliable epicurious.com aimed to please when it popped up with this fabulous recipe;
Pasta mixed with juicy, bursting cherry tomatoes cooked with garlic and spring onions, mixed with peppery arugula and scattered with a generous amount of crumbled feta cheese. We didn't have campanelle or fusilli, but I'm not that fussy when it comes to matching pasta and sauce. (actually I do think that there are a few pasta sauces that must be matched with the appropriate pasta shape, but this wasn't one of them). I used penne and it was just fine.

Come to think of it, I don't think I've ever seen campanelle here anyway.



This was one great dish! It deserves to be made a couple more times before tomato season finally ends.


Campanelle with Tomatoes and Feta

from Bon Appétit magazine

8 ounces campanelle (trumpet-shaped pasta) or fusilli (spiral-shaped pasta)
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
6 green onions, chopped (about 1 cup)
3 large garlic cloves, minced
1 pint whole cherry tomatoes
1 pint whole grape tomatoes
5 cups (loosely packed) arugula
1 1/2 cups crumbled feta cheese (about 7 ounces)

Cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally.
Meanwhile, heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in heavy large skillet over high heat. Add green onions, garlic, and all tomatoes; sauté until tomatoes begin to soften and collapse, about 7 minutes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Drain pasta. Return to pot. Add tomato mixture, arugula, and remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil; toss until arugula begins to wilt. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer pasta to plates. Sprinkle with feta cheese and serve.

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Still Eating As Much Asparagus As Possible...

Every week the outdoor food markets have several small asparagus growers who have set up their worn and battered trestle tables which are overflowing with green asparagus, ranging in size from delicate, pencil thin to sturdy, felt-tip marker fat.

Of course, I can't resist.
At least a kilo makes it into my shopping basket every week.


My latest asparagus recipe search led me to an interesting looking pasta recipe that incorporated sautéed hazelnuts - of which I have tons of in the freezer. (last time I found them for a decent price I bought a giant bag)
I adapted it to my tastes and the result was a rich, creamy and fresh tasting dish.


hazelnuts toasting in butter


a beautiful melange of fresh asparagus, onion, garlic and petit pois


Asparagus and Hazelnut Pasta

1 pound pasta - I used penne
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound fresh asparagus, cut into 2 inch pieces
1 cup frozen petit pois - I love them so I used a lot, you could use just ½ cup
½ cup dry, white wine
4 tablespoons fresh Italian parsley, minced
¼ cup Pecorino-Romano cheese, freshly grated
1 tablespoon butter
¼ cup hazelnuts, chopped
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
Add the onion and asparagus and sauté over medium heat for about 3 minutes, stirring often.
Add the garlic and continue to sauté for another 2 minutes, until the onion just lightly browned.
Meanwhile, in another pan, preferably nonstick, melt the butter over medium heat.
Add the hazelnuts to the melted butter and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
Add the peas to the onion and asparagus, and sauté for another 2-3 minutes.
Add the wine to the onion and asparagus mixture and bring to a boil.
Cook the wine for 2 minutes.
Bring a large pot of water to the boil and cook pasta according to package directions, until just al dente. Drain the cooked pasta and place in a large serving bowl.
Add the cooked onion and asparagus mixture and toss everything together.
Add the parsley, cheese, and hazelnuts.
Season with salt and black pepper, and mix well.
Serve immediately.


the finished dish Pin It

Pasta With Spinach and Chickpeas

The combination of nutty chickpeas and rich, earthy spinach is one of my favorites!

I made this up last week when we were in dire need of a trip to the grocery store. Everything was on hand, either in the pantry, fridge or freezer.
It was quick and easy and super satisfying.



Pasta With Spinach and Chickpeas
serves 4

3 teaspoons olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups chicken broth
1 - 15 1/2-ounce can chick peas, rinsed and drained
1 - 10-ounce package frozen leaf spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
12 ounces short, fat pasta
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Over medium heat, heat 1 teaspoon of the oil in heavy, large nonstick skillet.
Add onion and garlic and sauté until soft, about 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, bring a pot of water to a boil and cook the pasta according to package directions.
Pour chicken broth over the onions and garlic and simmer until the liquid is reduced by half, about 5 minutes.
Add the garbanzo beans and spinach and boil another minute.
Transfer spinach/onion mixture to large bowl and add drained pasta.
Drizzle with remaining 2 teaspoons olive oil, freshly ground black pepper and the grated Parmesan and toss well.
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Isn't the Internet Great?

We found this recipe online last night by searching for "italian sausage arugula recipe". This one from Restaurant Widow popped up so we decided to give it a try.
I didn't roast my own peppers, just used a couple of roasted peppers from a jar.

The result was tangy, a bit spicy and quite good! The olive oil drizzled on at the end really rounded out the flavors.

Pasta with Italian Sausage and Arugula - serves 2

6 ounces smooth penne
2 sweet or hot Italian sausage links
red pepper flakes
1/2 onion, cut into thin half moon slices
2 red peppers, roasted and cut into 2" by 1/2" slivers
2 large handfuls arugula, well washed and torn, any tough stems removed
salt and freshly cracked pepper
2 tbsp vinegar - sherry, plain white, apple cider would all work well
Good extra virgin olive oil
good Parmesan cheese, optional

Cook the pasta in well-salted water according to package directions; remove a little of the pasta water and set aside, then drain the pasta and set aside.
In the meantime, heat a large skillet over medium heat, add a little olive oil, and add the sausage to the pan - slice the casings and crumble the sausage with your fingers into the pan; season with crushed red pepper flakes.
When the sausage is cooked through, drain off the fat and place the sausage on a plate.
Add the onions to the pan and saute over medium-high heat - you want them to have some "toothiness" left, not to go all soft.
Add the peppers and return the sausage to the pan. Stir everything through.
Add a little (1/4 cup) of the pasta water to the pan and scrape up any browned sausage bits that have accumulated. The starch in the pasta water will help bind your ingredients together.
Add the arugula to the pan and sprinkle liberally with salt.
Stir everything together, add the vinegar, and allow the arugula to wilt down and soften.
Stir for about 2 minutes and taste a piece of arugula; add a little black pepper and correct seasonings as needed, cooking a little longer if the arugula is too tough.
Add the pasta back to the pan and toss to coat.
Place pasta in bowls and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, if desired, and grate a little Parmesan over. Pin It

Top 100 - 61 Through 67

61. Varages Faïence Provençale. Earthenware from Varages, in Provence The week after we arrived in France we took a drive to this village located in the Haut Var to purchase tableware for our kitchen. The factory, which has been operating since 1695, is a riot of shapes and colors, with an unbelievable array of pottery to choose from.

62. 5 Spot in Seattle, Washington. Located on the top of Queen Anne Hill, this diner is the home of the "American Food Festival Series" which features kitschy regional specialties from the Continental U.S.A. The regional food menu changes about every three months plus they offer an old standby menu offering fabulous brunch, lunch and dinner.

5 Spot
1502 Queen Anne Ave N
Seattle, WA 98109
(206) 285-SPOT

63. Bucatini all'Amatriciana. A wonderful, zesty sauce made with pancetta, onions and tomatoes. One of my all time favorite's, it is delightfully easy and quick to make.
The recipe I use comes from Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking by Marcella Hazan.

Bucatini All'amatriciana

Yield: 4 servings.

4 ounces pancetta (Italian bacon)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon butter
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 1/2 cups canned imported Italian plum tomatoes, drained and cut up
Chopped hot red chile pepper, to taste
Salt
1 pound bucatini or other pasta
3 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese, preferably Parmigiano-Reggiano
2 tablespoons freshly grated Romano cheese

Cut the pancetta into strips about 1/2 inch wide and 1 inch long. Put the oil, butter and onion in a saucepan. Saute over medium heat until the onion is pale gold, then add the pancetta. Cook about 1 minute, stirring once or twice. Add tomatoes, chile and salt to taste. Cook, uncovered, at a steady, gentle simmer for 25 minutes. Taste and correct for salt and chile.
Cook the pasta according to package directions and drain. Transfer immediately to a serving bowl. Toss with the sauce, then add the cheeses and toss thoroughly.

64. Hubig's Pies in New Orleans. An institution in New Orleans since the 1920's, this bakery in the Faubourg Marigny turns out about 30,000 individually sized, half moon shaped pies a day, filling the neighborhood with the aroma of lemon, cherry, coconut, sweet potato, pineapple, strawberry, peach and my all time favorite, apple. When you need a cure for your sweet tooth, they can be found at just about any corner grocery store in New Orleans.

65. Rosemary Honey. A lightly perfumed, well balanced honey that tastes lovely drizzled on bread, goat's cheese or in yogurt and is delicious in lamb and chicken recipes.

66. Patricia Wells. She is the author of nine books, a chef, a restaurant critic for the International Herald Tribune and l'Express, lives in Paris and Provence, has a very successful cooking school and recently ran the New York Marathon to raise funds for the American Liver Foundation. This is a woman I admire!

67. The Margarita. Freshly squeezed lime juice, Cointreau, tequila, ice and salt around the rim. Add some tortilla chips and guacamole and a warm beach and I'm in heaven.


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